Aeroplane wing



June 9, 1931. p, FEDR ,88,842

AEROPLANE WING Filed Aug. 18, 1930 INVENTOR BY Y- Y ATTRNEY Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT ,or-'Fles' JOHN PAUL FEDOR, 0F NEW CASTLE, INDIANA.

AEnorLANE wma Application led August 18, 1930. Serial No. 476,101.

aeroplane wing 1n which a maximum safety factor is present.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide a simpliiied` construction in which there is a. minimum of detail while the safety factor is kept at a maximum.

Further, it is an object to provide a wing construction which is economical to manufacture, one which will withstand they terrific strains such as are encountered by the wings of pursuit planes turning at right .angles or less at 4full speed ahead.

Further, it is an object to provide a structure that is suitable for thin wings and yet maintain the much desired safety factor.

Further, it is an obj ect to provide a wing structure free from physical weaknesses such as are caused by bolting 'or riveting several y details together to form a single member.

A further object is to provide a wing, the

-main body of which contains no bolts, nuts or rivets, which are subject to wear or liable to become loosened by vibrations or strains.

Further, it is an object to provide a wing in which as a unit a zigzag member supportsv I-beams and I-beams in turn support the zigzag lmember, which Jforms a plurality of V-shaped ribs parallel to the central longitudinal line of the wing and extending from tlp to tip.

Further, it is an object to provide a wing of such construction and design that no in'- ternal anvil or support for the electrical spot- 'and ends,

welding operation is necessary since the I-beamssupport the structure for that operation.

Further, it is an object to produce a wing -in which each I-beam can be separately tested for strength, flaws, size, and other desirable tests made before assembly, thereby giving a reasonable estimate of the total strength and saetyiof the wing before assembly.

Other objects will in part. be obvious and Y in part'bepointedout hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects the invention still further' resides inthe novel-'details of construction, combidetailed ving the invention,

nation and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described-in the following "zag bracing member 1n its finished form.

Figure 7 is a detail section lperspective view of the leading edge I-beam and-brace member.

In the drawings, ,in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the tigures, 1 represents the top covering sheet which is of proper curvature and has its leading edge 2 bent under as at 3 to overlap the bottom cover or sheet 4c. Between the sheets 1 and l lies the framing which consists of a front I-beam and brace member 5, the lower iange 6 of which is extended forwardly and curved upwardly as at 7 to brace the curve of the leading edge 2 of the top covering 1.

A series of I-beams 11 of proper size parallel the Iv-beam 5 and are spaced apart at intervals from the leading to the trailing edge of the wing. 8 designatesy a zigzag brace sheet which overlies and underlies alternate I- beams 5 and 1,1 as best shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The zigzag brace sheet 8 has the upper and lower iiat portions 9 to engage the I-'beams and thesdiagonal portions 10 which extend from one fiat portion 9 to the next flat portion 9 and cpnstitute zigzag braces between the respective I-beams'.

When the parts have been assembled as shown in Figure 2, they are spot-welded together into an integral rigid structure.

It will be seen'that alternate I-beams' are is a cross section through the top description, then be particularly l directly welded to the surface 1 while the others are directly welde tothe bottom surimo surface 4 and to the reinforce or bracing memf edge of ber 7 of the I-beams.

Thus, it will be seen that a structure provided that will be strong, composed of the fewest possible number of parts, with maximum factor of safety.

In forming the zigzag member 8 a sheet of metal is first rolled into a cross section such as indicated in Figure 5 and then passed -through a second set of rollers byv which the inal form shown in Figure 6 is given to the plate. In this way the drawing of the metal into form does not result in weakening its structure at any point.

From the foregoing description, taken in4 connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction, operation and advantages of my invention will b e clear to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

.What I claim is:

l. In all metal airfolds, a top covering having its leading edge turned under, a bottom covering having its leading edge secured to the turned under part ofthe leading edge of the top covering, a set of spaced I-beams paralleling the longitudinal center line of the wing and located between said top and bottom coverings, and a zigzag bracing sheet extending alternately over and under successive I-beams from the leading to the trailing the wing and located between said top and bottom coverings, and means permanently securing the aforesaid parts together as an integral structure.

2. In all metal aeroplane Wings, top and bottom covering sheets and a structure spacing the same apart, said structure comprisin a set of parallel I-beams runnin the lengt of the wing and a zigzag sheet race of approximately the length and Width of the wing and passing alternately over and under successive I-beams, and means permanently securing the aforesaid parts together.

3. In all metal aeroplane wings, top and bottom covering sheets and astructure spacmg the same apart, said structure comprising a set of parallel I-beams runnin the lengt of the wmg and a zigzag sheet race o f a proximately the length and width of t e s wing and passing alternately over and under of parallelly disposed I-beams extending *Y successive I-beams, the I-bea-m adjacent the leading ed having one of its ianges extended to rein orce the leading edge of said top covering sheet, said I-beamslnd said zigzag sheets being welded together into an integral lengthwise of the wing and a zigzag sheet extending transversely of the wing from one end to the other and alternately passing over and under said Ibeams,'said zigzag sheet and said I-beams being welded together into an integral structure.

5. In aeroplane win s, a frame composed of parallelly dispose I-beams extending lengthwise of uthe VWing and a. zigzag sheet extending transversely of the wing from one end to the other'and alternately passing over and under said I-beams', said zigzag sheet and said I-beams being welded together into an integral structure, and top and bottom covering sheets enclosing said frame, land means securing said sheetsN to said frame.

6. In aeroplane wings, a 4frame composed of parallelly disposed `Ibeams extending lengthwise of the wing and a zigzag sheet extending transversely of the Wing from one end to the other and alternately passing over and under said I-beams, said zigzag sheet and said I-beams being welded together into an integral structure, and top and bottom covering sheets enclosing saidv frame, and

` means securing said sheets to said frame, one

of said covering; sheets having its leading edge portion curved-over to lap the adjacent edge of the other covering sheet, and the I- beam at the leading edge having a curved reinforcing extension cooperating with sald curved leading edge portion.

. JOHN PAUL FEDOR.

structure with said top and bottom cover sheets; t A 4. In aeroplane Wings, a frame composed 

